Last Stand of the Marauders
by sasansan1
Summary: The famed Marauders' last year, and they want it to go out with a bang. James is arrogant, Sirius is hilarious, Remus is responsible, and Peter's almost peeing his pants. Everythings normal. Including Lily Evans resentment of James. DISCONTINUED
1. The Marauders

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No one ever reads this, it's pointless to even be typing this right now. But oh well. That's life. Well, I, unfortunately, am not J.K. Rowling, and as such, I don't own any of the characters in this story. Well, maybe the ones I made up. And my stunning plot and dialogue.

James Potter awoke to an unusually bright morning on the last day of August. This may have been due to the fact that for the first time in a while, the sun was shining through the window of his bedroom in the mansion where his family lived, or it could have been due to the fact that a brightly lit wand was being held inches from his face, by a maniacally grinning black haired boy.

Now, observers would note that this boy was very handsome. Attractive female observers would note the card the boy would place in their hands, having his address and number on it. Slimy haired, greasy gits of observers would note the foul smelling dung bombs being chucked at them by said boy.

Shaking his head to bring the hair that was artfully falling into his eyes out of them again, the boy practically broke the floor when he jumped out of James' bed and landed with a loud thump. "Hiya Jamesie Poo!"

"Ugh… Padfoot, really, it's way too early to be pulling something like this."

"Prongs!" said the boy, feigning a look of hurt "It's been one night and you've already forgotten my name!"

"Sirius…." Said James. "I may be bloody perfect, but if you don't get off my bed in three seconds, this perfection will hex your bits off.

Sirius chose to sit there and laugh. Not a wise move, since, with a flash of light and a flick of the wrist, James sent him upside down, hanging from the ceiling by his ankles, tethered by some invisible force.

"Now would you look at that!" said James, who was now wide-awake. "It's just like magic!"

With another flash of light, Sirius was flung onto the floor again.

"Moony! Remus! My savior!" said Sirius, who proceeded to throw himself at the feet of the blue eyed, sandy haired boy who had indeed performed the counter curse.

"Oh look Remus, there's a dog trying to hump your leg!"

"Shut up James," said Sirius, as Moony exploded with laughter.

A plump, chubby, watery-eyed boy sat up from the bed in the corner of the room where he had been sleeping. "Whassa goin' on?"

"It's too late Peter," said Sirius, in a suave, theatric voice. "You cannot save me now, from degradation and… other big words that mean 'bad things'."

Laughter shook the room.

These, were the Marauders. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Wizards, heartthrobs, and pranksters extraordinaire. James was a tall, broad shouldered 17 year old, from time spent playing Quidditch. His fan club (which compromised of most of the female population of Hogwarts) would be happy to tell you about the beautiful hazel of his eyes, and of his jet-black hair, which always looked windswept, and, in their opinion, breathtaking. Sirius had much the same build, though slightly shorted and broader. He was the player, always dapper, always happy… and always with a girl. The other Marauders would always call Sirius' current girl Lin, regardless of her name. Why? Because "lin" were the middle three letters of "fLINg" and that was what the girl was. Even then, Sirius was still almost as avidly pursued as James. Then, Remus Lupin. He was the responsible one, the cool head. He was quite handsome as well, with thoughtful gray eyes and a strong, straight smile. He slightly shabby clothes, but in the girls' opinion, it just added to his character. Last, and in this case, most definitely least, Peter Pettigrew. A portly boy, with neither the looks nor the talent that the other Marauders had in such abundance, no one ever quite figured out why this boy was included in the most popular group in the school. He hero worshipped James, Sirius and, to a slightly lesser degree, Remus.

These were the Marauders.

This was their last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Their 7th year. This was THEIR year.

But, there was a problem that arose a couple of weeks before they were due to leave on the train for Hogwarts. This problem arrived tied to an owl, shortly before breakfast in the Potters' house.

"James, go pay the owl!"

"Sure thing Dadio!" the sounds of him coming down the stairs made his mother wince.

After putting a few knuts in the pouch attached to the handsome barn owls leg, James looked at the letters and smiled. Ah, his Hogwarts letter. Then he frowned. His last Hogwarts letter.

Sighing, he brought the mail to the breakfast table and waved his wand absent mindedly. Instead of opening, the letter turned into a flower. A lily, to be precise.

"Son of a-"

"JAMES!"

"Sorry Mom!"

"Yeah, you'll be sorry when I jinx your lips together."

He changed the lily back into a letter and ripped it open. Something metal fell on to the table, and at that sound, James' stomach fell to the floor.

_No… It couldn't be… Dumbledore wouldn't…._

With trembling fingers, James read the letter.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"James what's wrong?!" "James, honey?!"

His parents rushed into the room, wands drawn, alarmed looks on their faces. "James what happened?" said his father.

"I… I've been made… Made Head Boy…."

"OH! Oh James! Oh honey! Harold look at him! Oh my Jamsie, he's growing up! Harold can you believe it!"

"Margaret, dear, give the boy room to breathe."

"Of course but, oh I'm just so excited!"

James' father chuckled, "Aren't we all?"

James wasn't. Neither was Sirius.

"You're what?!?!" yelled Padfoot after James had told him when Sirius came down for later in the day for the now traditional Sunday brunch at the Potter household.

"Head Boy… Ugh this will ruin all our pranks! Atleast I'm still good looking…"

"Good looking? You've got nothing on this body!" Sirius proceeded to strut about the room, flexing his muscles and getting into ridiculous poses. Thinking and dwelling on things was not the Sirius way.

James laughed at him, and for the next 10 minutes, the room was filled with giant amounts of testosterone, and big headedness.

After the room became chemically safe to humans with no Y chromosome, James remarked, "Sirius, this is the year I get Lily Evans."

"Prongs, you said that last year. And the year before, and the year-"

"Padfoot I get the picture!"

"Ok, ok."

"I've got a good feeling Sirius. Evans will be Head Girl for sure, I mean, she's perfect, her hair, her grades, the way…" James trailed off when he saw the disgusted look Sirius was throwing his way.

"Anyway," James continued hurriedly, looking slightly abashed "I'll be able to spend a lot more time with her. A dream come true. For her, naturally." He smiled in a self pleased sort of way. Surely she'd come to her senses as to how fabulous he, James bloody Potter, really was.

"James, mate." Said Sirius, "that's exactly the kind of thinking that's likely to get you smacked upside your head."

"Paddy old buddy, you just don't understand girls like I do."

"Why James! You're interested in girls?!"

"Shut up Padfoot."

And now , weeks later, it was the day before the famed Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were set to leave on the Hogwarts Express, for the last time.


	2. The Girls

Disclaimer: Blah blah, disclaimer, you already know I don't own these characters. It's too bad as well. I could do with more clothes.

Apology: Sorry, I find it harder to write from the girl's point of view. Why? Because I'm freaking masculine. Warning, I may recycle that joke and use it in a James Sirius context.

Lily Evans awoke slowly. At least, her mind did. Her body was jolted awake. Literally.

Natalie, one of Lily's best friends, jumped off the bed giggling, having performed a mild shocking spell.

On Lily's butt.

"Bloody hell!" yelled Lily. Or at least, she wanted to. She wasn't a morning person, so what came out from her mouth sounded something along the lines of "blonny mellshhh".

The resulting peals of laughter that came from Natalie awoke the two other girls who were staying at her flat. They glanced at Natalie, the Lily through blurry eyes and then joined in with the merriment. Natalie's merriment. Not Lily's.

"Aliceee. Maryyyy. Help?" said Lily in a cutesy voice.

"Nice try" said Mary, who had a sense of humor that was almost as dry as Lily's roast beef (and Lily was a horrible cook, mind you).

"It may be six o'clock in the morning, but Lily Evans does NOT wake up sounding like a toddler."

"Well it was worth a shot" Lily replied sardonically, rubbing her rump ruefully.

"Doesn't matter" said Mary, "At least Nat got you this morning, not me. My bed still tickles me sometimes."

Natalie grinned in remembrance of the tickling charm that had woken Mary up at 3 o'clock every morning for the past week.

"Aw Nat" Alice said, finally having calmed down. "You hurt Lily."

Lily rolled her eyes. Alice. Always the sweetheart.

She surveyed her friends through her startlingly emerald eyes. Natalie. A definite catch. If she wasn't so…. Flippant, with her relationships. Jumping from one boy to another. They were all pleased to have her however, with wavy brown hair that changed colors in the sun, and clear blue eyes. She had gorgeous features that hinted at her Italian ancestry. Then Mary. A tomboy, if there ever was one. She had straight black hair, and rather asian features. She was pretty, in an exotic sort of way. Now with Alice her looks didn't matter, as she had a loving, steady boyfriend in Frank Longbottom. Alice was one of the kindest girls she knew, and was the motherly figure of the bunch. She had a round, happy face, quite cute, and sweet as could be.

Ever the perfect guest, Alice made her bed. And of course everyone else's, except for Lily who considered it a matter of pride to have to be looked after.

The sounds of Lily cooking breakfast started coming from the small kitchen. These sounds entailed loud bangs, followed by muffled expletives.

"Oh no you don't!" shouted Alice, as she ran in, alarmed. Lily, Mary would say, could burn a salad.

The red head went to get ready as Alice settled into the kitchen. She was relieved, really, her Aguamenti charm was good, but she was quite tired of putting out fires.

As she walked by the bathroom, Lily banged the door. Natalie cussed from inside, and threw the door open, showing a streak of red lipstick that ran from the corner of her left lip, to her right earlobe.

Lily and Mary laughed. Ah, sweet, sweet revenge.

Still growling, Natalie ducked inside the bathroom again to continue beautifying herself, not that she needed it. Mary, still amused, told Lily "She'll be out to get you for that one. Even though she had it coming."

Lily laughed, "She's not smart enough!"

"I can hear you" came a disgruntled voice from the bathroom.

"Stop fighting and get ready!"

"Yes Alice" the girls chorused in unison. "Well if that wasn't movie material, I don't know what is" remarked Mary dryly, eliciting a laugh from Lily.

Natalie emerged from the bathroom, ready for battle. "Alright ladies, I have a quota to fill, I want at least 5 numbers in my pocket by nightfall."

The girls groaned, once again, in unison. Some things happened so much, the reactions were practically rehearsed.

"I don't think little miss Head Girl will allow that sort of behavior," teased Mary, a mock expression of reproach on her face.

Suddenly, Mary's hair matched the color of Lily's favorite stone. Unfortunately, Lily's favorite stone was a black opal.

"LILY!" she screamed over the gales of laughter at the sight of her black hair, with splotches of browns, reds, yellows, purples, blues and greens shifting over it.

"Yes?" she replied innocently.

Giggling, Alice said softly to Natalie "It's not so bad. Kind of grows on you."

"Damn right it grows on you, half of it looks like some kind of fungus" whispered back Natalie and the girls dissolved in to giggles.

Mary now spoke in a voice that, without knowledge of her character, could be mistaken as normal. "Can you please change my hair back?"

"What's the magic wo-ord?" sang the red head.

"Let me think, stupefy?"

"Point taken Mare, _Finite._"

"Oh thank god. I take my words back. Bloody Head Girl my ass, this banshee could be a Marauder."

Lily growled. Mary laughed. And somewhere, a funeral dirge played.

In the end, the girls chose to stay home and watch movies. And of course, one of those movies was inevitably "The Notebook". Then, "The Sound of Music". Alice and Natalie, being brought up in the wizarding world, were completely engrossed, crying and laughing like a model audience, although they did seem disappointed to not see what Lily and Mary called "special effects".

After cleaning up her popcorn, Lily gave a last minute check to her trunk, making sure it was organized just the way she liked it. Tomorrow, she'd take truly take up the mantle of Head Girl when she stepped on the Hogwarts Express… For the last time. She surveyed the room, lingering on her sleeping friends and the trunks by their beds. An uncharacteristic lump stuck in her throat, and she readied herself for bed, surprised by the unexpected emotion.

_But just who_, she wondered as she crawled in to her bed, _was the Head Boy?_


	3. Collisions and Concussions

Disclaimer: Seriously? If you're reading this, I'll just go on sarcastically, taking up pointless time and space. Oh, and by the way, I don't own the series, JKR does, lucky woman. Or the characters. Well, maybe the ones I made up. And, like I pointed out before, my sparkling dialogue.

Explanation: I'm a fast updater because my house is freaking boring. And a bboy can only dance so much you know? Anyway, on to the... updating.

* * *

James and Lily woke up on the morning of September the first to completely different scenes. On James' end, he was roaring with laughter and he watched Remus try to free Peter from the toilet that appeared to have swallowed him. Sirius was laughing so hard that James debated performing Life Support. But there was no way he was gonna get close to mouth to mouth with that kid.

Still chuckling, James asked Sirius how that happened. Through gales of laughter, his best friend was able to choke up "He was.... In the loo.... and he clogged the toilet... and he tried to charm it and-ahahahaha!"

At that point, Wormtail's head shot up out of the bowl, much browner then usual.

Lily, however, awoke to the girls getting ready to leave with gentle decorum. Well, most of the girls. "Bloody hell, where's my wand? Lily, summon my wand. I need my wand!"

"What's the magic word Natalie?" sang Lily.

"Lily if you say that again, I'm not going to wake you up with teeny tiny shocks. Your hair will be straight by the time I'm done with you. Straight UP!" Straight up was, incidentally, the way her middle finger was right now.

Sighing, Lily performed the charm just as Alice jinxed Natalie's fingers together. The wand zoomed to her.

From Natalie's pocket.

* * *

"Well my boys, it's off to King's Cross" said James, in a stunning imitation of Professor Slughorn. "Rightio James my dear old boy" replied Sirius, sounding somewhat like Sean Connolly. Remus sighed, "Can we just leave? The flat still smells like toilet." Wormtail blushed and locked down bashfully.

_That is so gay _thought James. _Men don't blush. And men aren't embarrassed, which must mean-_

"Wormtail's not a man!!!" he yelled suddenly, startling the owls.

Sirius laughed, Remus looked reproachful, and Peter naturally, blushed and looked down. What the bloody hell.

"But now" said James mock pompously "we have more important matters to attend to then Peter's questionable gender."

"Ah, yes, nicely put my colleague" replied Sirius. They both slipped in to these pompous roles quite easily.

Even Remus came in to this one. Tradition. "The start of term prank" he said rubbing his palms together eagerly.

"Correct. And my darlings, i've got just the thing."

The three dove into it, whispering to one another. None of them noticed the hurt look in Peter's eyes.

* * *

"Hmm, i bet James is Quidditch Captain this year." said Mary. Which, indeed he was. Although it had completely slipped his mind in light of what he considered a great tragedy; Pending responsibility.

Lily groaned. "You always talk about him like he has potential..." she shuddered at the thought.

"You know Lily," said Alice pensively, "you should hear how Frank talks about him. James' saved him more then once from those little Death Eater wannabes."

Coming from Alice, "Death Eater wannabes" was a violent and vulgar term. Lily frowned "He tortures them anyway!"

"It's not like they're innocent little angels" said Mary sarcastically.

Lily rounded on her "And neither is Potter! Far from it!"

"We weren't saying that he was" said Alice, peace keeping now, "Just that he can have his decent moments"

The infuriated redhead snorted derisively. Natalie giggled. Mary rolled her eyes. And the cab they were in screeched to a halt in front of King's Cross.

"Well" said Lily, rubbing her temples tiredly. Shouting always gave her headaches. And shouting always came from Potter.

"Let's go see who my 'partner' for the year is gonna be."

* * *

The partner in question had just apparated into Platform 9 and three quarters, eyes alight at the possibilities for the start of year prank. It would immortalize him. Well, more then he already was.

He dropped off his trunk in the Marauders' usual apartment, then went for an appearance in several compartments containing all girls. No snogging though. Contrary to popular belief (e.g. All of Hogwarts) James Potter had not snogged in about a year and half. He would flirt. Of course. He had to stay in condition. Sirius was only too happy to "clean up after him".

"The way I look at it Prongs" he had told him "I'm rediscovering a lost art form."

"New heights of big headedness?"

"Ye- I mean, no. Besides, you're one to talk!"

James retorted, and never found out what art form his best friend was rediscovering.

"I'm sorry ladies," said James gravely, to a group of rather attractive Ravenclaw 6th years "but my carriage awaits."

"But James," crooned one of them "It's only 11:30."

"Bloody hell! I was supposed to be in the Heads compartment an hour and a half ago!" Detaching them from his robes/appendages, he sprinted down the hall.

* * *

Lily and her friends dropped their stuff off in their usual compartment, which was at the opposite end of the train from the Marauders' one. Lily yawned, then so did Alice, Mary, and Natalie.

"Bugger, Lily" said Nat, after her mouth was normal sized again "that stuff's con-con-contagious" she yawned again.

"I think i'll take just a little nap," said Alice. Mary and Natalie agreed. Lily sighed "I have to be in the Heads' compartment soon, I can't." Her face slipped into a pout.

"Have it your way Lilly billy" said Mary, her eyes already fluttering closed.

Pretty soon, the compartment was full of gentle breathing. Not Lily's. Not yet.

_Oh bugger_ she thought, her eyes drooping, and drooping and-

"WHAT TIME IS IT?!" she screamed, bolting awake.

"Relax" said Alice, a light sleeper. "It's only 11:30."

"11:30?! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE HEADS' COMPARTMENT A ETERNITY AGO!"

She shot out of the room, her auburn hair smacking into Natalie's face on the way out.

She sprinted along the hallway, looked to her left, checking the compartment numbers as she flew by and then-

_BOOM!_

* * *

James barreled down, and looked back, hearing a girl whistle, several girls actually, when all of a sudden-

_BOOM!_

* * *

Lily and James smacked into each other almost comically, and most definitely painfully.

"Potter" said Lily, too out of breath to insult him.

"Alright then Evans?" he replied, his breathing even.

_Damn his Quidditch training _she thought. "If you'll just excuse me" she growled turning toward the compartment she should have been in so long ago.

"Allow me darling," he said gallantly, holding the door open, and then walking in before her.

She groaned. "Potter if you had a fully functioning brain, you would have read the sign. This is the _Heads'_ compartment."

He smiled. She paled, that smile was sly, knowing, and much too happy grin.

"Oh no Evans, I read. Among other well deserved merits, namely Quidditch captain" he paused with a infuriating, self-pleased smirk, "I'm also this years' Head Boy."

And she fainted on to the floor.

**Author's note: _I'm not sure what girls do in their free time besides watching "The Notebook" haha. So I had them sleep. They won't always be sleeping. They talk. I think._**


	4. Prats and Pranks

**Disclaimer: I, unfortunately do not own Harry Potter. As I've already told you. Three times. *sigh***

* * *

Lily's eyes fluttered, and she sat up slowly, groggy from apparent sleep. Looking around, she saw she was in a compartment. _Oh thank god. It was just a dream._

"Evans?"

She frowned. She knew that voice, and it irritated her. But she heard something in it that had never been there before: concern.

Potter was concerned? Potter... The name made her remember something. "Oh no" she groaned.

"Realized you loved me then Evans?"

His voice was back to the normal, self satisfied one that she loathed.

"Never" she snapped back "I just realized I'd have to put up with this irritating prat the whole year."

"Who is he? I could hex him for you" the prat responded.

Lily almost screamed in frustration. "You! You're the prat! You've _always_ been the prat! And you're going to ruin this for me! I just know it!"

She buried her face in her hands. How could Dumbledore have done this to her?

James was stunned beyond words, beyond belief. _She was... Serious? The whole time? Not playing hard to get..._

He shrugged off the hurt look in his eyes, but not before Lily glanced up. "Potter?" she sounded uncertain.

He shook his head, "nothing Evans." Her forehead creased in thought, she had been so sure she saw... something. Something in his eyes.

_Bloody hell she looks beautiful when she does that..._ He groaned internally. This was going to be a long train ride.

"Anything from the trolley dear?" James looked up, a charming grin already on his face "Well I can't say no to you now, can I?" The lady looked flustered as James asked for a few cauldron cakes. She gave them to him and managed a smile "On the house today love."

After she left, James turned to Lily. He kept on turning when he saw the disgusted expression on her face. He ate his pastries in silence. Uncomfortable silence.

He cleared his throat "So darling Lilykins, when are the prefects coming?"

"Oh lets see Potter" she said acidly "they're coming about... oh, an hour and a half ago."

"Two hours actually, you were out cold for maybe thirty minutes."

"You're missing the point Potter!" she cried, almost hysterical, "This was my first test as Head Girl! I messed up! God what will they be saying about us?!"

"No need to call me God love."

"YOU!" she screamed "ARE THE MOST INSUFFERABLE, ARROGANT SELF SATISFIED PRICK I HAVE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO MEET!" She left the compartment in a storm of fury, throwing the door closed with a loud bang.

James frowned in her wake. _She's too serious... I mean, it's just giving out the passwords..._ He paled in sudden realization. They wouldn't be able to get into their common rooms. McGonagall would have his head. Well, if he had been any one else. He had a way with her, but just to be safe, he'd better pass them out. Reaching for the stack of papers on the seat next to him, he smiled slyly. How important could a common room be to greasy Slytherins?

* * *

Lily's mood did not improve with the walk back to her compartment. She entered the room, cheeks flaming and hair in a disarray.

"You've been yelling," said Alice carefully. When Lily got like this, there was no reasoning with her.

"Yelling? Yelling?! Who said anything about yelling?!" she cried.

Mary raised an eyebrow. Natalie cocked her head. Alice shook hers.

"James bloody Potter! He's Head Boy! I fainted on my arse when he told me!"

Mary couldn't hold in her snicker, and Lily rounded on her.

"Think it's funny?! Your precious Quidditch Captain is going to drive me to pieces! And we're not even at school yet!"

"Lily-" "Shut it Natalie! You don't know what this is going to do to me! This was sup-" her mouth kept moving, but no sound was coming out. Infuriated, her eyes came to rest on Alice, who had her wand pointed at Lily, a stern expression on her face. "Enough. You're overreacting."

Lily removed the charm with a flick of her wand. "He was an hour and a half late!"

"So were you" said Mary dryly, her left eyebrow raised.

15 minutes later, Lily was walking back to the Heads' compartment, ranting in her mind. _Apologize. Why the bloody hell should i apologize. It's HIS fault. Always. I mean, he was talking!_

She paused in her ranting, considering how ridiculous she sounded. _Bugger... Alice is right...._

She opened the door tentatively, to find James sleeping on one of the chairs. Lily stopped dead. He looked so peaceful... Bloody git didn't deserve it.

"POTTER!" He shot up, wand out in a second, "Lily what's wrong?" he said, alarmed at her yell.

She gasped, her eyes wide. Lily. Her name. From Potter?

James paused. _Oh shit... I said her name. _To damage the repairs he had made, he did the only thing to fill the uncomfortable silence. "Will you go out with me?"

All her irritation rushed back, and she grabbed Slytherins passwords, disgusted that he had ignored them, and rushed out again. As she walked by the Slytherin compartments, she threw the schedules into one, ignoring the jeers and name calling. "Lily!" came a desperate sounding voice. She repressed a shudder, "Snape. Don't call me Lily." and she walked on, leaving a crushed looking Severus Snape standing in the center of the hall. She didn't look back.

* * *

The train pulled in to Hogsmeade a few hours later. Surprisingly, nothing disastrous happened, although Lily closely observed the Marauders, who were looking gleeful. The sight was not a comfort to her.

"Oh Lily, let it go" said Alice, happy to be so close to seeing Frank.

"No, let it feed your hate, come to the dark side" said Natalie, in a deep, manlike voice. Lily snorted, Alice giggled, and Mary rolled her eyes.

"I just want to know when Quidditch tryouts are," said the latter. "Knowing Potter," Lily replied, "it won't be until spring."

"Ah hello ladies, you were looking lonely and I thought I might escort you to the castle," said Sirius.

"Well well, Delirious Black!" said Mary dryly. Lily and Alice laughed, but Natalie just blushed and quietly said "hullo."

"Lilith my angel, looking beautiful as always" came a suave voice from behind them. Cringing slightly, Lily replied, "The day I'm your angel is the day hell freezes over."

"I hear this Winter's going to be quite chilly" said Sirius thoughtfully. Everyone but Lily laughed.

"That's the spirit!" came Moony's voice. "Remus!" said Lily, genuinely pleased to see him. "It's been too long." She hugged him, while James watched resentfully.

They entered the Great Hall, James looking moody, although everyone else was in cheerful conversation, catching up with each other over their summers.

However, before the sat down, James, Sirius and Remus shared a conspiratorial look, taking out their wands and muttering the incantations they had invented to make the prank run smoothly. Just as they finished, the first years shuffled in, scared, and rather small.

After they finished off with a "Vaughn, Vannessa," the headmaster stood up.

Smiling, he said quite serenely, "I do rather enjoy my velvet cloak. Let the feast begin!"

And then it happened. As the food appeared, an explosion occurred at the teacher's table, obscuring it with smoke, and when it cleared, the students were shocked to see the table gone, and the teachers in full acting regalia.

What followed was a very enjoyable, and extremely modified version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." After all the teachers finished dramatically being covered with jam to symbolize their deaths (that's how "Hamlet" is) the students erupted in applause. The Marauders were in tears, and unable to breathe. Even Lily was laughing, after all, she had no idea Professor McGonagall's hair could be let down, or that Professor Dumbledore could do a backflip. She glanced at the Marauders, still smiling, and gave them a thumbs up. It really was quite extraordinary magic.

The teachers returned to their senses, and looked around, horror struck. Except for Dumbledore, who merely bowed and tasted the jam covering him. He swept his wand, and with a rushing noise and a flash of light, everything returned to normal. "Now, I know that deserves a detention" he started, the Marauders looking solemn, but not contrite in the least, "However" he continued "due to the fact that the jam was raspberry, and that it is indeed my favorite jam, i award Gryffindor 30 points."

Giving looks of shocked joy, the Marauders high fived each other to thunderous applause.

"Up to your dormitories now," the school stood up to leave, "Oh and I'd like a word with the Heads after, James, I dare say you know where to find my office by now" he said, eyes twinkling.

"Now off you go!" and off they went.


	5. Constant or not?

**Disclaimer: Yeah, like I said... I own in no way at all the Harry Potter series, only my plot, dialogue and invented characters.**

"Come darling Lillian, and let me escort you to the promise lands!"

"Give it a rest Potter," she replied. Between waking up early, fainting on the train, and laughing at the Marauders' prank, Lily was way too tired to rant at him. At the moment.

"But-" "Speak again and you'll be silenced for a week" she said tiredly. Withdrawing into a taciturn silence, James brought Lily in front of two gargoyle statues in the middle of a hall.

"What the-?" "Cherry Blossom" said James clearly, cutting across the redhead.

The gargoyles leapt aside, one saying, "Nice to see you again Potter," "Aye" said the other statue "It's been nothin' short o' downright boring 'round here wit'out you Marauder lot."

Smiling, James led Lily up a twisting staircase to an ornate wooden door. "After you pumpkin," he said, opening the door theatrically, rolling her eyes, Lily entered.

She gasped, looking around in wonder. Lining the wall on the right were countless portraits of austere looking witches and wizards, whereas the left was covered in a large shelf, recessed into the wall housing numerous priceless books, and bizarre silver instruments. The Headmaster sat on a powerful looking oak desk, in a comfy chintz armchair, with identical twisting staircases leading to the second level on his left and right. Glancing up, she saw another large bookcase on the second level where the antique staircases led. Resting on the shelf was an old wizard hat, but before she could inspect it further, a loud squawk brought her attention back to Dumbledore's desk. Gasping once more, she saw a beautiful phoenix resting on a golden rod sticking out the wall above the old wizard's right shoulder.

"Ah, Ms. Evans, Mr. Potter. Now, I would like to- Ms. Evans?"

Her attention snapped back to Dumbledore, as she had still been admiring his office, sneaking a glance at James, she saw him lounged in a comfortable chair that he had obviously conjured (it said "Potter" on the cushions) looking around with a bored expression. She stifled a laugh, he had obviously been in here many times before.

"Now," said Dumbledore, looking at them over his interlocking fingers "it's time to discuss your positions. I apologize for the password by the way, I am rather fascinated with Asia at the moment, you see, I had a particularly lovely holiday in Japan, and I was given cherry blossom jam. I have an affinity for jam you see, and-"

"Er, Professor?" asked Lily, cutting across his ramblings. "Our positions?"

"Right," he said, chuckling lightly. "Well, you must call a meeting once a month, to discuss upcoming events which are entirely up to you, as well as schedule the patrolling times and passwords. You will" he continued "be sharing the Heads' Tower. James" he chuckled "I trust you know where that is as well."

Laughing he replied, "I do Professor." "NO!" said Lily all of a sudden. "No, I cannot, I will not, I can't, share? Potter? I can't. I-" "Lily," Professor Dumbledore cut across her rantings, "I believe you can handle this. You will both find your things situated, and you can choose your password upon arriving. Now go. And Lily, I would not put you in something you're not ready for."

As they walked to their tower, James was practically singing, and Lily was practically vomiting.

_Oh god no. Not with Potter. A year? A year. With Potter._

_A year with Evans a year with Evans whoop di doo a year with Evanssss!_

"Well here's our place!" said James cheerfully, stopping at a portrait of a hippo in a tutu. Lily snorted at the unlikely painted and James repressed a smile.

"So" said Lily tiredly, "what should the password be?" Grinning James looked at her, and then to the hippo and said clearly "Beautiful."

As the portrait swung open, he called back to her "We can always change it later." "No, it's very... sweet" replied Lily, a little slowly, a confused expression on her face.

_What is with him? He switches between me wanting to curse him, and.... Well he's flipping back and forth between extremes._

James shot right through the cozy common room, having been their before, and straight up to his room. Sighing, he sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. He felt... off. When he was with Lily, he used to know exactly what to do. Although that had always irritated her to no end. All his thoughts from over the summer had flown back into his head, and now? He was saying things that before he had kept in his head. Maybe they were getting kicked out to make room for his new thoughts. What was weird was... Evans liked it? _Not Evans _he vowed to himself, _Lily. I'll call her Lily._

* * *

The girl in question was staring at the amazing common room that her and James would be sharing. A small squishy sofa with an armchair on each side surrounded an oak desk that was just the right distance away from the fire that was crackling warmly in the hearth. The back wall was covered with the images of previous Head Boys and Girls. Photos were more recent, whereas some of the framed pictures looked quite decrepit. A grandfather clock chimed from one corner, and a shelf filled with school supplies, detention slips, hall passes and sheets with passwords was in the other. All in all, it looked rather like a miniature Gryffindor common room.

Bounding up the stairs to her new room, she jumped straight into the large, four-poster bed that dominated the center. The room had the same basic color scheme as her one at home, with a mixture of lavender and white, complimented by light green trim. She looked to the left and saw the doorway from the bathroom was open. And through the bathroom, she saw another door. One that led to the _other_ room in the tower. They would be sharing a bathroom, she shuddered.

Deciding to be cordial, she walked to his room, looking around in interest. It was the same as hers, though with smaller mirrors and drawers, and painted in Gryffindor colors. She noticed a flower on his nightstand. A lily. She blushed, and tapped him on the shoulder.

His head shot up from its resting place on his knee. "Lily!" he smiled.

Wrong footed by the use of her name, Lily stuttered "H-how do you like your room?" "It's fine" he replied, still smiling "responsibility has its high points, I supposed."

Warming up to the rather personal question she wanted to ask him, she said "Truce?" He smiled. "Truce love."

"Potter, don't call me that, and...." Lily stopped, thinking about how best to voice the question in her mind. She started again, "Potter, why are you so? So different."

The smile dropped off his face, leaving it serious. A first for him, in Lily's opinion.

"I don't know... I must be, maturing." Lily laughed loudly, Potter, maturing?

"No, no, hear me out" he said, a thoughtful expression still on his face, "The idea kind of sunk in over the summer... That I can't live my life pranking. And i'll be ending school soon, so... I was thinking, i'd study? Maybe. Maybe attempt to try to get around to studying." He finished off with a relieved grin. Lily's laugh had died out halfway out through his little speech. "Oh... Well... That's lovely." What else could she say? The big headed prat of 6 years just gave her an excellent reason for him to change.

He continued, looking almost scared, "There's another reason. If I was more responsible? I thought I could maybe... Get closer. To you. Maybe get you to like me?" he ended it like a question.

Lily, still in a mild state of shock, gave an odd sort of twitch, halfway between a nod and a shake of the head. Without saying anything, she walked back to her room, and closed the door softly, her head in a whirl.

She lied down on her bed, considering the things she had just learned.

James Potter, one of life's constants. Constant irritants maybe, but still, he couldn't just change like that? Could he? And partially because of... her?


	6. Changing Nature

**Disclaimer: Ok, i'm sick of this. I don't own it! Never will. Let's cry together and move on.**

"INTERVENTION!"

That was the first word out of Sirius' mouth when James told him what had happened yesterday.

Shock filled the room. Frank and Remus shared wide eyed looks, Peter clapped loudly, and James pretended to sob unashamedly. Why? Because not only had Sirius used a word that was more than 3 syllables, but it was also relevant to what was happening. Sirius wasn't dumb, far from it, he just never used his brains in regular contexts. Of course, he'd be one of the first to pick up a new spell in class, but the homework that followed? Or rather, didn't follow.

"What?" said Sirius, looking around at his friends who were in various stages of shock "just because I spend my time snogging and pranking doesn't bloody well mean I'm not a genius."

James laughed, his and Sirius' time were always better spent pranking the doing schoolwork. _For now, but what about after school?_ He frowned slightly, damn his conscience. The conscience that, for some reason, had grown ever since his father had sat him down for a serious talk. He shook his head minutely, he could think about it later.

Still looking slightly dazed, Lupin cleared his throat "Sirius... Sirius is right. Ha! Sirius is right!"

The person in question slapped Remus on his head. "Moony" he said in a warning voice. "Alright, alright" Remus relented, then turned his attention on to James "you need to be under better control Prongs."

"No way Jamesie old boy, keep doing exactly what your doing!"

"Wha- but Padfoot! You're the one who called my intervention in the first place!"

"If I didn't say it, Moony would have, and I wanted to say a big word," finished the black haired boy, a smug grin on his face.

Rolling his eyes, Remus told James "he is the barmiest genius I have ever met." The whole room, barmy genius aside, nodded in agreement. And once again the whole room, barmy genius aside, nodded in agreement. They kept nodding. For 5 minutes. The whole time yelling at Sirius and chasing him around the room, to get him to lift his jinx. "That's what you get" said Sirius, in a grave voice, right after he lifted his spell. Massaging their necks, the other boys in the room muttered threats under their breath.

"Seriously Prongs," said Lupin who continued despite the loud cry of "I'm Sirius!" "you can't change all at once remember? Gradual. Gradual deflation."

Peter applauded Moony's big words. Slapping him idly, James asked Remus the most basic question ever. "Why?"

Remus moaned, they had been over this so many times at James own house over the summer. "Because" he said patiently "she's going to think something's up if you start acting completely different after 6 years. Keep calling her Lily that's good, and like I said before. Give. Her. Space. Girls love space."

Sirius sniggered, "Bullshit." Remus threw a pillow at him "Real girls, not Lin." "I'll have you know" said shot back Sirius "my Lin's have some nice arses, and they've never asked me for space. Far from it" he sniggered again.

"Slag" said James off handedly, already zoning out into Lilyworld while conversations formed around him.

And speaking of Lilyworld...

* * *

"Potter did what?!" shouted Natalie. Mary and Alice shared a look, Natalie knew James wasn't a total git, she was just humoring Lily. Good gossip takes sacrifice.

"I know!" the red head cried back "he was charming! It was absolutely disgusting. I mean, it was Potter."

"So what exactly did he say?" asked her best friend, slipping into detailed mode now.

"He called me beautiful basically! Eurgh! Insulting I know. And he used my name! And said he was going to change and I don't know it was so WRONG!" she finished up her rant, breathing heavily, her cheeks red.

"Did he say why he was changing?" asked Natalie after a little while, still plumbing for information.

Lily snorted derisively "Some cock and bull story about maturing and his future and wanting me to like him. HA! Like any of that would EVER happen!"

Alice giggled slightly and whispered to Mary "that's so sweet!" "Rotting fruit smells sweet too," whispered back Mary sagely.

Alice's checked the clock, and her eyes widened, "CLASS!" she yelled, cutting off a tirade of Lily's that probably would have gone on for about 15 minutes. Her face, red with anger, flushed when she glanced at the clock. 8:50. She was 35 minutes late for her first lesson. Transfiguration, she gulped, with McGonagall.

She flew out of the room, only barely pausing to pick up her things, sprinting down numerous flights of stairs until she read the closed door of the classroom she should've been in nearly an hour ago. Gathering her courage for the savage beasts (Potter, Black and Remus had it as well) that were sure to be there, she tentatively opened the door.

"Well Ms. Evans" said Professor McGonagall tartly, "how very nice of you to join us today."

James smirked, _how very nice indeed._

"Now Ms. Evans, if you would deign upon us enough to sit on the chair next to Mr. Potter here then I might continue my lesson."

Lily, who was red in the face from her teacher's rebuke, blanched, and stonily walked over to sit next to James, whose smile grew steadily smugger with every step she took.

Pulling out her chair however, proved to be something difficult this morning, as it caught on the side of the table, making a loud screeching noise and shaking the desk. Falling into her seat, she threw her head onto her arms and groaned. This was just not her day.

James looked across the room to Remus, who mouthed "Plan C." Looking down at the beautiful redhead, James cleared his throat. She looked up at him, her face in a slight scowl. "Er, are you ok Lily?" "Wonderful" she replied, her scowl becoming more pronounced. She put her head back on her arms, and James looked questioningly at his werewolf friend, who just shrugged his shoulders.

The severe Professor began to walk around the room, giving students iguanas, foxes, or toucans.

5 minutes later, she walked around the room and gave more iguanas, to the students who had had toucans. The foxes had eaten the colorful birds.

"Now" she said clearly "for those of you who know what we're doing, get to work. For those of you who don't, walk up and see me at my desk."

Sighing, Lily drew out her chair and began to walk to where her Professor was sitting, surprisingly, so did James, Sirius, and Remus.

"Since this is the first day of term, I will let this slide. However" she continued, lips thin "if any of you, I mean any of you, take such a lax approach to my class, I will see to it that you are allocated to a different place that deserves you attention. Namely cleaning."

"Why Minnie!" exclaimed Sirius with false delight "This is touching! You, my darling, are only punishing us because... You love us!"

Her lips were pressed together so thin, Lily was surprised that Professor McGonagall was able to speak. "Mr. Black, as much as I appreciate your need to express yourself, I think a better time for it would be tonight, when you are in detention."

"But Professor" he replied, a mock serious expression on his face "The only detentions I have so far are the next 2 weeks starting after today."

"Well Mr. Black, I'm glad to say I can add to your collection! Meet Mr. Filch at 8 o' clock tonight."

"I'd love to Professor, but he's not really my type."

Professor McGonagall, to Lily's utter astonishment, laughed loudly at that statement. "Very well Mr. Black, but- and this includes you too Mr. Potter- try to keep in mind that the students in here cannot coast by on talent like you two. Please don't disrupt my class." Aware that she had stated the impossible, the witch hurried on to say "When i'm explaining the lesson."

Lily walked back to her seat, stunned. That Black had avoided detention with McGonagall! Just by blathering on... Incredible. Then she frowned, she had no idea what they were doing. Black had distracted her teacher from explaining what they had missed.

"Uh Lily, do you know what you have to do?" said James helpfully, after a few mouthed words from Lupin. "No Potter," she snapped at him.

"Ok then" James plowed on, "Well you're supposed to transfigure your animal into an elemental form." She cocked her head "and that is?"

"Well, there are four elements right? Earth, wind, water, fire. An elemental form is the animals physical embodiment of one of those elements. How powerful this embodiment is depends on the animal. Take a bird. They fly." She laughed at how dumb that sounded, and James gave a small smile before continuing "Because they fly, they're more aligned to wind then earth, so their wind embodiment would be their most powerful."

He gestured at his iguana, "This is a land animal. Therefore..." "It's earth form would be strongest, right?" Finished Lily, beginning to get what he was saying.

James smiled, "Good. Now what you're going to do is this."

He brought out his wand, and waved it in a complicated slash and turn, then drew it in a line down the iguana, from it's head to its tail, and muttered "_Arcesso Terrus!"_

Lily watched, fascinated, as the iguanas form shivered, became an iguana shaped void, then, with the smell of wet soil, reappeared, but drastically changed.

At first, it only looked as though it were covered in dirt, but as it walked about, most of it fell off, revealing crystalline scales of different stones. The iguana was a living rainbow of agates, jaspers, quartz and many other gemstones. Underneath the scales, its body was as hard as bedrock. Most stunning were its eyes, which were now completely brown, iris and all, and seemed to exude a primal force that made one think of shifting plates, earthquakes and rockslides.

Lily looked at James, wide-eyed, as the iguana ambled around the classroom, creating a boom of noise that was reminiscent of a boulder hitting the ground whenever it's foot touched the stone floor.

_J_ames merely shrugged "Now if you're transfiguring an animal into a different element, you would replace_ Terrus_ which is earth, with either _Ignus, Aquas, _or _Ventus_. Fire, water, and wind. You can wait for the spell to wear off, but the counter spell is." He tapped the iguana on the head and muttered "_Retro" _The iguana shimmered into a void again, and reappeared a normal iguana, with no sign of elemental powers at all.

"Excellent work Mr. Potter" said Professor McGonagall "10 points to Gryffindor. For everyone else, practice! I'll see you tomorrow class, you may go."

_He wasn't a prat once... _thought Lily as she packed up _And that was really excellent magic..._

She walked to Charms in silence, pondering. If an iguana could change into... that, then maybe it was possible for Potter to change into a human being.


	7. Gathering Darkness

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately, don't and never will own the Harry Potter series and all that other good stuff. Let's just cry together and move on. Ok? ok.**

* * *

Lily groaned as she sank into her dormitory bed. That had to have been the _worst_ day ever. She fumed silently, _I'm sitting next to Potter in three classes! Three! How the hell did he even get into those NEWT classes last year?! _She had studied for months before her OWLs, staying up late to try and memorize all the material for the subjects that she wanted to continue in in order to be a Healer and yet Potter had still gotten better grades then her! She hadn't seen him study once! Once! But somehow he managed to get 11 Outstandings. Disgusting creature. Lily herself had only gotten 9, scraping E's in Astronomy and Divination.

For some reason, she had to sit next to... It. In Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions. She had Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow, and she was willing to bet that Potter would be in both of them.

There was still a little voice in the back of her head who thought he was changing. A voice that grew steadily louder every day she had to spend time with Potter. Lily groaned again, remembering that she not only had classes with Potter, but her first patrol with him. What was up with all this Pottering?

Still angry, she fell into turbulent dreams, tossing and turning in her sleep.

* * *

James Potter flounced into bed, jumping gleefully. That had to have been THE BEST day ever. He was sitting next to Lily in three classes! Three-ee! The grin mangled on his face when he remembered how disgusted she had looked each time a Professor had placed them together. Ever optimistic, James started to reread the checklist of what he could do to make her _enjoy_ sitting next to him.

1: Don't talk about yourself. (Moony)

2: Whatever she tells you not to do, don't do (Moony)

3: Listen to her (Moony)

4: Help her (Prongs for once! horay!)

5: DO NOT ASK HER OUT (Moony)

6: Show her the _real _James (Moony)

He frowned. That would take some work, _still _he thought to himself, his frown morphing into a small smile _if I could be with Lily, just for a little bit, it would be worth it. _He laughed softly to himself, what would his best friend say if he knew what James was thinking? He'd probably laugh for a long while, then go snog some random girls to show James how it was 'wiser' to be free.

The word free reminded James of the talk his father had given him the night he had received his badge...

* * *

"Now son," said Harold, rumpling James' already messy hair affectionately, as they sat down in front of their fireplace on cozy leather chairs. "You're a smart boy, you understand the nature of your mother and I's work." James nodded, his parents were top Aurors, although he wondered why his father would bring this up.

"Good," said the elder Potter approvingly. "Now you've heard the rumors I dare say, about this 'Lord Voldemort'" James nodded again, confusion on his face. His father sighed tiredly, "He's dangerous James... Not because he's deadly... Cunning... But he's ice cold son... Colder even, not a shard of remorse, and that's what makes him so dangerous... No fear, no morals. I've worked at the Ministry a long time..." He chuckled, "Perhaps too long. I'm feeling my age James, feeling my age..." He trailed off, rubbing his palms together thoughtfully. "And i've fought a million and one but not like him... Yes, I've fought him" he said after a questionable look from the young black haired man sitting across from him "And it was close son... Much too close. Well see him again, he'll come James, recruiting, of that I have no doubt." this time, the playful father James knew came out "After all, who can resist the Potter's?" James laughed, although the tone was slightly off. His father looked him in the eye. "Your mother and I love you son, and we've given you the best we could." A hint of steel entered the world weary voice "Just know that if I go... I go down fighting, for a better world James, a better world for those I love. You, your mother, Sirius."

James nodded, his eyes moist.

"And son, you're Head Boy this year. I know you're not to thrilled" he chuckled, "Neither was I but... It's your duty now James. Keep Hogwarts together, give it your all! Give Hogwarts a testament to hard work, courage, and all that makes up what is good and just. And in the face of all that is dark son, laugh! Laugh, and light it up, because even the blackest night gives way to dawn James."

* * *

James had cried that night. For the first time he could remember, he, James Potter, had cried.

And now, months later, he was a changed man. He knew that. But he kept it under wraps, after all, he loved what he did, pranking. And most of the school loved him for it. But maybe that's not what it needed. Maybe it needed the new James Potter. A Head Boy. Hogwarts would have to be strong. A beacon in the deepening darkness, to help others find their way.

It was these thoughts that had filled his head for such a long time, and it was these thoughts that filled his head as he fell into disturbing dreams.

* * *

Margaret and Harold Potter were up late that night.

"Another attack..." said Harold Potter tiredly, rubbing the bags under his eyes. His wife poured him a cup of tea, nodding sympathetically "That's three in one week. Poor muggles..."

Harold started, his face tight "It wasn't muggles today hun..." Margaret bade him continue, her eyes fearful "It was the Fawcetts... You know how loud spoken they are. Anyway, they were holding a meeting for the Order. It was just finishing, I remember, I was there... They came Margaret. Many of them. I tried Margaret, I tried so hard. I killed... It's been so long since I last and... Margaret I killed and I killed, I must have taken out ten or eleven... And Arven, I heard him, he was yelling. He screamed. They were torturing him Margaret, and he just wanted to die. I was on the banister and I looked at him, and his eyes Margaret, his eyes..." he trailed off shaking. His wife came and draped a comforting arm over his shoulder. He smiled and continued, in a small voice "I apparated to the Ministry, Felicity told me to get help, I came back with Flemmings, Higgs and Boxer, Serum stayed behind to alert the others. It was in ruins Margaret, blown apart by curses, fires flickering everywhere, and the smell... Burning wood, something sickly sweet, and you could smell people Margaret... Burning flesh. But the noises, I'll never forget the noises. Screaming, agonized screaming, the crackle of fire, splitting timbers, and then the roof caved in, a giant crash, and then it was the worst part... Silence. Nothing, no screams, they were gone. And I didn't save them."

And the other two Potters went to sleep, their heads filled with the most disturbing dreams yet.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore frowned as he stared out the window of his study. Storm clouds were gathering.

Not real storm clouds, it was a clear, slightly chilly night surrounding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. No, these clouds were far worse, a hurricane of evil, with the young man that had once asked to teach here at the eye of it all.

The great wizard surveyed his grounds, feeling a great sense of pride, love, and protectiveness for them, and the students within. This was his family now, and he wouldn't fail to protect them, like he had before.

The long bearded man, sank into his bed, and was overcome with the worst dreams one could ever have. Layers of deep seated terrors.

The inability to protect who you loved, the knowledge that you were the cause, and hopelessness as those you loved now were falling prey to dark things, that he at one point could have stopped. And just before his eyes closed, Albus Dumbledore wondered _Am I the cause?_


	8. Fighting Fate

**Disclaimer: Blah blah blah, I don't own Harry Potter, blah blah, Jk Rowling does, blah blah blah.**

* * *

James Potter awoke to a cold and chilly morning in the luxurious dormitory that he had all to himself. He glanced over his night stand, and grimaced when he saw the lily in its vase.

It had been the first thing he had ever done for her, in Transfiguration during the beginning of their second year. The day he had fallen for Lily Evans completely and utterly. The class had been changing straws into quills. James had rolled his eyes, he remembered, as he excelled at the subject in particular. He had said a spell that he had made up himself for that exact moment, and changed the straw into a flower, and asked Lily to be his girlfriend.

She changed the flower into a dart and threw it back at him.

His attempted romances with her had gone downhill from there, stopping around the same place that his attempted friendship with her lay. He had kept the dart though, and changed it back into the lily. The lily that was now resting on his nightstand.

It was, excluding his wand and his cloak, his most treasured possession. He grinned, how he would like to have Lily.

An owl knocked on his window, and his grin disappeared. Noone got owls in the morning like this... His neutral expression fell into a frown, as he read who it was from. His father. The frown got steadily longer as he read it, and he put it down with a sigh, rubbing his eyes ruefully. He had liked the Fawcetts, they had been kind to James, and he had gone to their house as a young kid, to play with there daughter Selena. Always good laughs at parties....

At least he had classes and patrol with Lily to look forward to. And besides, could his day get any worse?

* * *

Lily walked down to breakfast that morning with James Potter. McGonagall suggested that they at least do that, to show a united front. Even if they walked in with Lily shouting at James while he continued to make ridiculous advances on her.

But this morning she noticed, James Potter was uncharacteristically solemn, an unfathomable expression in his hazel eyes and a frown tugging at the corners of his lips. James Potter? Frown? Was it possible? Indeed it was, because as they passed a sobbing Ravenclaw girl, the tugging won, and a sad look came onto the face of someone who Lily thought was impossible to upset.

"Potter?" said Lily questioningly, slightly frightened and unnerved at something that would make one of the happiest, most obnoxious boys she knew look like that.

He looked at her, his eyes moist, and her mouth opened slightly at the look of pain in eyes normally alight with mischief. What shocked her most was that she recognized the look in his eyes, it was the same look that, no matter how much James strived to hide it, appeared in them when Lily rejected him. Her heart ached slightly at the thought of the pain that she hadn't thought he was capable of feeling.

"That girl," he said, his normally boisterous voice quiet, "is Selena Fawcett." Lily nodded numbly, she had heard the name before. "Last night..." James pulled in a deep breath through his nose "Her family and several other were killed. Murdered." "B-but" Lily stuttered "how do you kn-know?"

James sighed, looking away from her "My father was there. He tried Lily, he tried. But he couldn't save them. I knew the Fawcetts, they were good people Lily... They did the right things for the right reasons. And they didn't deserve this, no one does." He broke up, his aggrieved expression hardening into anger. "And _he_ did it. Damn him, him and his _ideals_." he spit the word out.

He continued after he saw the confused expression on Lily's face "Lord Voldemort," he whispered, his voice laced with hatred "The Fawcetts were good people like I told you. They were in the Order of the Phoenix, an organization who's taking him on. He's insane, Lily, hates Muggleborns... Mr. Fawcett was an editor for the Daily Prophet, tried his best to show the world how to stop Voldemort. Last night... They came for him," James carried on, his voice tight, "it was just after a meeting. They were cleaning up, and _he_ showed up with loads of Death Eaters. They broke in... Killing as they went. My dad, he fought, but Selena's mom sent him for help, and when he came back... It was too late."

A tear traced its way down his cheek, and Lily gasped. Gasped that someone could do something like that, and gasped that James Potter could cry.

Then they entered the Great Hall and were surrounded by the buzz of conversation and the clattering of forks and knives on plates. And all of a sudden, the person next to her who had been so sad a moment ago was filled with energy, waving, laughing and talking.

Lily was shocked by his transformation, but then she looked closer. When no one was talking to him, his eyes slid off into space and a frown began to tug at the corners of his mouth again.

Her forehead furrowed in thought, as she wondered how she could cheer him up. Then her face brightened. And moments later, a piece of mashed potatoes slapped James on his cheek, slowly sliding down it.

All conversation at the Gryffindor table stopped, and the students of it watched James, shocked. No one hit a Marauder. Even with food.

The black haired boy roared with laughter, and the table let out a relieved sigh. Until Sirius, seizing his opportunity jumped onto the table and began slinging gravy all over the room, screaming "FOOD FIGHT!"

Lily giggled and ducked under the table, along with Alice. Natalie and Mary had joined into it with gusto.

From her vantage point, Lily had a perfect view of James, who had a genuine smile with his face. He looked somewhat like, she thought, a food throwing ninja. He hadn't been hit yet (aside from Lily's mashed potatoes) and was dodging the food with surprising agility, eyes glowing. _He looks so handsome_, thought Lily idly, then she blanched. What. Did she just think.

No freaking way. She pushed it to the back of her mind, to deal with later, and went back to although she would never admit it, watching James. He had picked up BBQ drumsticks, and was throwing them at the Ravenclaws who had massed behind their table under the combined assault of the Gryffindors. Each saucy piece of white meat found its mark on a witch or wizards head.

He jumped out of the way of a large piece of ham, and his foot slipped on spilt pumpkin juice. For some strange reason, probably a food allergy she rationalized later, Lily's breath caught in her throat when she realized that he was going to fall.

James' foot slipped out from under him, and he pushed off with his other foot, executing a neat backflip off of the table. He landed, looked at Lily, and winked. Girls fainted. Lily just rolled her eyes, impressed in spite of herself. Of course not. James Potter just didn't fall down. Not like normal people.

A loud bang went off, startling the students. Dumbledore glanced at McGonagall, and was rather amused to find her watching the Gryffindors beat back the combined assault of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs with a rather smug expression on her face. Professor Slughorn had continued eating, the Slytherins had left shortly after the food fight began, having been the primary targets of everyone but themselves.

The food fight continued, even with the interruption, and Dumbledore sighed, waving his wand in an almost lazy manner. The hall froze in suspense. Well, not in suspense, the quite literally froze, unable to move.

Students were in midair, jumping to avoid a pastry stuck in thin air just inches from them, small droplets were floating about knee level, created when a student moved, splashing pumpkin juice. Large hams were frozen in mid flight, alongside pieces of bacon, omelets, and many different cheeses and fruits. Dumbledore smiled, ah, to be young again.

"Now," he said, his deep voice easily heard even though he was not yelling "regrettably, I cannot allow this food fight to go on any longer. No one will receive detention." Hope flashed into the students eyes, and the teachers looked at him incredulously "However," he continued "as punishment, no one can change, or clean up their appearance, and will have to walk around looking like this until classes are over." he finished with a twinkle in his eyes. The teachers were satisfied, the students were horrified.

Well most of them.

James and Lily laughed as they exited the hall together. James had a small white stain on his cheek, but other then that was spotless, and Lily was immaculate as well, having hid underneath the table. They were chuckling at the sight of the other Marauders, squelching their way up the stairs. Sirius was the worst, his left arm covered with mashed potatoes and gravy, half a cheesecake sticking to the back of his shirt, bacon all over his pants, with the right side of his shirt stuck to his body with pumpkin juice. Hogwarts females were ecstatic, although slightly disappointed that James shirt wasn't adhering to his musculature.

"The funniest part is," James confided to Lily, who was surprisingly enjoying his company "that Sirius doesn't care, as long as his hair is fine." Lily snorted and turned red with suppressed laughter, they were in the middle of Transfiguration.

"So how did you learn how to backflip?" asked Lily as they walked to Herbology (she had been right, they did have it together).

To her immense surprise, James turned red, and muttered "I'll tell you later." piquing Lily's curiousness.

Herbology was fairly routine, as was Defense Against the Dark Arts, which they spent quickly running over what they had already covered, although Defense was taught by a new teacher, a fat man, with beady eyes, a long beard and an unpleasant aroma about him.

The school thundered up the stairs after their teachers dismissed them, eager to get clean. James merely walked along, removing the mashed potatoes with a wave of his wand. He spotted Lily walking alone, trotting up to her eagerly.

"Potter," she said, smiling slightly. Hmm. He would have preferred James, but at least she smiled and didn't yell at him to go away like usual.

"So," James cast around, looking for a topic "what time is patrol tonight?"

Lily raised her eyebrows, "You're not going to ask me about the weather?" James laughed softly, and Lily continued "Really Potter, you need to work on your small talk. 9 o' clock, by the way." And just like that, she walked away in the direction of the library, hair swinging slightly, leaving the young wizard with a stomach full of butterflies, and a bemused expression on his face. "Bloody girl," he whispered to himself, watching her till she passed out of sight, then walking up to his tower. Maybe if he had time, he'd ask Moony for some tips on making conversation.

* * *

The Head Girl walked to the common room she shared with James, done with her homework and ready for patrol that night. She glanced at the clock in the corner. 9:00.

James sprinted down the stairs, shirt in his hands. He had fallen asleep, and he had to get going _NOW._

Lily's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw James run into the common room shirtless, and it was all she could to do to keep herself from gasping. His muscles were precisely defined and perfectly sized. Bloo-dy Hell. The girl's would freak when she told them about _this_.

He skidded to a stop, threw his shirt on, took his wand out and said as calmly as he could "I'm ready!"

Rolling her eyes slightly, Lily beckoned to the portrait, and they left to start their rounds.

They began their walk toward the basement, and the red head looked at James skeptically, and said "Back flip."

James looked away, embarrassed. "I did... Gymnastics. When I was younger!" he hurried on and finished.

Lily stopped dead, her eyes wide, and let out a loud laugh that echoed down the corridor. "You?" she spluttered, "In tights?!" That made James smile, but he still wore a horrified expression at her outburst.

"It's not like it's the worst thing a Marauder ever did," said James, attempting to recover.

"Oh no?" asked Lily, still chuckling, "then what is?" She was genuinely interested.

James laughed before he told her, "Once... Sirius' girlfriend caught him cheating on her." Lily let out a gasp of outrage, "No, wait, let me finish." He laughed again.

"And Sirius... He told her... That he was cheating on her with six people, she flipped out and screamed at him why." Lily was ready to start screaming herself, James motioned for her to let him continue. "And he said that is was because... 7 was the most powerful magic number, and that that was the only reason why." This didn't seem to comfort Lily in any way. "The hilarious part," finished up James "Is that she believed him! And they stayed together for another 7 days, until Sirius told her they had 'lost the magic' and she believed him again!" Lily gave an accidental smile and the impossibility of the situation.

"What a dunderhead."

James laughed, "You are quite correct Lily." She stuck her tongue out at him.

The rounded a corner, and heard footsteps and cruel sounding voices. James' eyes widened, and he pushed Lily into an alcove, covering her with a strange, shimmering cloak that appeared to be made out of some airy, cloud-like substance.

The talking stopped abruptly, the footsteps continued. "Potter," sneered one voice. "Mulciber" replied James, equal malice in his voice. There were the sounds of wands being drawn, and four people in black cloaks stepped into Lily's view, directly opposite James. She gasped very quietly, she recognized them!

There was Mulciber, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, and Rodolphus Lestrange. Lily looked at them with disdain, noting that they were all friends with Severus.

"Well, well" came out the smooth yet offensive voice of the blonde haired Malfoy. Bellatrix let out a derisive laugh "Your daddy waddy did a very bad thing last night." she said in a baby voice, eyes filled with hate.

James merely looked at her, a terrible anger upon his face, a look that scared Lily. Malfoy was unfazed. "Tell me" he drawled, "how do you expect us to kill mudbloods with your precious father trying to curse us?" James let out a gasp of outrage. "You..." he whispered, to angry to speak.

Rodolphus laughed unkindly "What's wrong Potter? But you know what?" his voice dropped to a deadly whisper "Those goddamn muggle lovers took my mother with them. And you know what I'm going to do about it?" his eyes had a crazy, wild look in them. "I'm going to break you Potter."

Lily felt terrible, terrible fear. They couldn't! Not James! She was too scared to take much notice of the new feelings coursing threw her heart.

James laughed loudly, squaring his shoulders. "Come on" he said, not a trace of any of the terror Lily felt in his tone. "You filthy, slimy little Death Eaters couldn't beat my dad if you outnumbered him by fifty! And you think only four of you can take me?"

Bellatrix hissed. And a jet of red light hissed through the air, shattering the stones on the wall to the right of James. Lily sat there, invisible, frozen in place by terror, watching James. He was amazing.

A jet of silver shot from the tip of his wand, zipping toward Malfoy, who blocked it with a cry of _Protego!_ Three crackling fireballs shot toward James, who conjured a shield of liquid, undulating in the air in front of him, which absorbed it without apparent damage. James whipped his wand out toward Mulciber, and the water flew toward him, wrapping around his extremities, with a sharp jerk downward, James froze the ice. Mulciber fell backwards with a cry, off balance and unable to move.

Meanwhile, Malfoy slashed his wand through the air, and with a flash of green light, deep cuts appeared on James' leg. He roared with pain and stumbled, as Lily gave a cry that went unheard in the fighting. Bellatrix shrieked with laughter, and created chains from midair, which flew like snakes to wrap around James' throat, he twirled his wand and the chains dissolved into sand, which shot into the other three fighters eyes, blinding them. A jet of light that had flown from Rodolphus moments before the sandstorm hit James in the gut, and with a cry of pain he fell to the floor, jerking and convulsing.

While the Death Eaters continued to rub sand out of their eyes, James crawled to his feet, gasping and spitting up blood. He glanced at where Lily was concealed and mouthed the word "Run" but she sat, still as stone, unable to move.

Lestrange was the first to see clearly, and with a terrifying expression on his face, he conjured gleaming darts which flew to James' heart. Smiling, he turned them into a shower of lily's. He flicked his wand up, and Lestrange was suspended by his ankles.

James' smile turned evil as he trasnfigured Lestrange into a bat, then bound him with ropes.

Malfoy and Black, recovering, circled James wearily. Moving quick as thought, James spun around and kicked Malfoy in the chest, then stumbled as a curse from Bellatrix hit him, holes that looked like snake bites appeared on his neck, oozing a pus colored liquid.

Tumbling to the side to avoid more curses, James came up bent with pain. He flicked his wand in a twisting motion, and Bellatrix's hair curled around her face, and the curse she was about to utter was forced back into her throat. Placing her under a body bind curse, James turned back to Malfoy, who had sand in his hair and was rubbing his chest, but was otherwise unhurt, compared to James, covered with bruises, deep cuts on his leg, and snakebites on his neck.

Multiple black jets of light shot from Malfoys wand, and became screaming skulls, which James changed into a swarm of locusts, that flew back at Malfoy, who shot a spray at them that made them dissolve. Snapping his fingers, Malfoy turned the spray into a jet of fire, burning the left side of James' ribs. He coughed, blood flying out, changing the fire into streams of needles that flew back at the blonde haired wizard, pinning his robes against the wall. With a final flick and a jet of white light, James disarmed Malfoy, then staggered up to him, knocking him unconscious with a straight punch to his chin.

With all the Death Eaters unconscious, Lily was finally able to work up the will to move, and ran toward James, bunching up the cloak in her hand. "James!" she screamed hysterically, taking in his appearance. His eyes glazed, he smiled at her, and said, mouth filling up with blood "You're safe." He turned in the direction of the hospital wing, took two steps, and collapsed, the corridor ringing with Lily's horrified screams.


	9. Ooohs and awwws

**Disclaimer: Hi. I'm not JK Rowling. I don't own this. Ok? Ok.**

* * *

"Ughhh," James groaned. He sat up from his soft comfy bed and opened his eyes. He immediately closed them. It was so _white!_

Then in a rush, his memories came back to him, they had been floating on the edge of his consciousness since he woke up, like some half remembered dream.

Everything made sense now! James was in... the Hospital Wing. _Hmm, how did I get here? The last thing I remember is Lily's face..._

He cracked his eyes again, and slowly opened them as they adjusted to the stark whiteness of the infirmary. His entire body ached, but especially his right leg, his chest, and the back of his neck. Moaning slightly, he stretched, looking to the left, and then the right. His eyes froze on the right.

Toward the left was what he had expected to see, his friends, the rest of the Marauders, crashed on chairs in front of a table with an enormous amount of get-well-cards and sweets.

To his right however, a beautiful redhead was sleeping peacefully on a comfy looking green armchair, the skin around her eyes red and puffy, with tear tracks running down her cheeks. Her shirt was damp.

James was in shock. Lily Evans? Crying? And over him no less. _You did save her arse,_ said the still-kind-of-big-headed back of his brain. The rest of his brain wrestled that part into submission, then went back to staring at the girl he had loved for years.

The sounds of boys stirring awake came from James' left, ruining what was in his mind, a perfect moment.

Sirius sat up blearily, rubbing his eyes. He glanced toward the bed and shot awake, like he had been given a dose of coffee. "PRONGS!" he roared, startling the rest of the people in the room awake (this included 4 unfortunate Slytherins, although Madame Pomfree had put them in a separate room and locked them in) and causing the Healer to run in, alarmed.

"Ah Potter," she said warmly, eying him with a maternal eye. "Glad to see you're awake." Smiling slightly, she looked him up and down with a professional eye, shaking her head slightly. "Tut tut, look at you! My my, they really gave you a beating. Still, you taught them a lesson eh? And four on one! I never would've thought it" she said as she bustled around the side of his bed, taking out potions and goblets.

"You're lucky Ms. Evans brought you in here, you could've died! I'm not sure how she did it, she was half blind with tears. All the same, you're here now and that's what matter." said Madame Pomfree conversationally as she measured out different potions.

James looked incredulously at Lily, she blushed and gave him the biggest, warmest smile he had ever seen her make, then slapped him across the face. "JAMES POTTER! DON'T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! I THOUGHT YOU WERE... YOU WOULD..." and she leaned her face into the crook of his arms and began to cry.

Shocked, James looked around at the flabbergasted faces, a red handprint glowing on his face.

Sirius laughed at him as Remus threw him a reproachful look. Peter, unsure of which to do and completely unable to do something original, began to eat a chocolate frog from the pile of food behind them.

The Healer tutted again, and gave James the goblet to drink. Using his Lily-free arm, he took it and downed it in one gulp, grimacing at the taste.

"You'll have to keep taking that for a week." Madame Pomfree told him "Four broken ribs, rattlesnake venom in you neck, and sliced ligaments in your leg, it's a wonder you were still conscious! Much less fighting!" Remus gave James a proud smile while Sirius sniffed in mock pride, "that's our boy!" he said, sounding like a sentimental mother.

James barely heard them, he was looking at the back of a sobbing Lily's head, and put the goblet in his left hand down, reaching over to stroke her hair.

The Healer sidled out of the room, while Remus dragged an unwilling Sirius out as well. Peter followed, after grabbing another chocolate frog.

"Shh, it's alright," James comforted Lily. Her sobs became sniffles, and she began breathing slowly and deeply. James smiled. She had fallen asleep. Adorable.

Madame Pomfree walked back in quietly, another goblet in her hands. She gave it to James, and mimed falling asleep. Not understanding, James drank the potion then proceeded to tell her that yes, Lily was sleeping. Madame Pomfree shook her head and then-

James awoke 6 hours later.

* * *

Lily opened her eyes, feeling warm and happy. She didn't know why, she was sleeping in a chair for goodness sake. Then she realized her head was on a certain some one's arm. A certain some one who she had dragged up 8 flights of stairs and through 12 corridors, crying the whole time, convinced he was dead. A certain some one who had fought, outnumbered, so she could escape.

And his hand was still on her back, although she could tell by his breathing that he was still asleep. Sitting up slowly, moving his hand back onto the bed, Lily stretched. She winced, _how_ many muscles she pulled dragging a 2 meter tall slab of Quidditch muscle through half the castle she didn't know.

The door to the Hospital Wing opened, then closed very quietly. Looking up, Lily was surprised to see Professor Dumbledore walking toward her in sweeping robes of dark blue, which twinkled with stars. Looking uncharacteristically grave, he beckoned to her. She stood up, stretched again, then walked toward him.

"How is he?" asked the old wizard, the twinkle devoid from his eyes. Lily shrugged "I'm not sure, he seems fine. I was, um, crying during the diagnosis." she admitted, embarrassed.

Dumbledore nodded, "I apologize profusely, but I need to know, how did this happen?" Lily told him, although she omitted the part about James' cloak, saying that she had been concealed behind a pillar. After all, it was his secret, and she didn't tell secrets.

The Headmaster remained silent throughout the tale, and gave a great sigh at the end of it. "Unfortunately, we have no solid evidence other then your word to accuse them of being Death Eaters. Rest assured I will keep an eye on them, however. James did marvelously," Lily vehemently agreed, and for the first time Dumbledore smiled. "For saving our Head Girl, I award our Head Boy 80 points. Is there anything else you'd like to say?" Lily said no, and Dumbledore bid her good bye, exiting just as quietly as he entered.

Silently, she walked back down to resume her silent vigil by James bed. Unable to resist, she ran her hand through his hair, trying hopelessly to flatter it. Lily sighed as she saw the dark bruise on his neck, and the small cuts on his cheek.

Feeling strangely protective and caring, Lily adjusted his cover and pillow. James stirred, and Lily stopped immediately, leaning back and pretending to be asleep.

Eyes shut, she heard James sit up, then groan. All of a sudden, she felt a hand brush hair out of her face, and a long sigh. She winced inwardly.

She pretended to wake up, gradually stirring, then stretching and yawning. He watched her the whole time.

When she was done, he began conversationally, "You know, that's the second time you've saved my life," as though near death experiences popped up left and right for him. Lily rolled her eyes, "You must have lost a lot of blood, I only saved it once."

James laughed, "No, when Lestrange threw those darts at me? And I turned them into lilies?" Lily nodded, feeling horribly guilty that she didn't help. "I got that from you. Second year?"

Oh. That. Lily smiled in comprehension. "That's right!"

"So," he continued, skepticism on his face, "How _did_ you carry me over here?"

Lily's forehead creased in thought and she bit her lip. "I'm not sure how I did it. I just knew that if I didn't... you'd die. I was completely hysterical," she laughed humorlessly "If I weren't, I would've thought to use a Hovering Charm."

James watched her through wide eyes. Amazing girl.

She stared back. W-o-w. Look at his eyes! Lily knew she had nice eyes, even if most people would say how much more then nice they were, but James' eyes! They were constantly shifting colors, from greens to blues to golden browns, mingling together in strange ways, all of it flecked with golds and silvers.

She found herself leaning in to get a better look, leaning closer and closer and then-

Lily jumped up so fast she knocked the chair over. "I uh I have to go," she stammered out. She rushed out of the room furious with herself. What the bloody hell was that?

She had almost kissed James Potter!

And she couldn't do that. She just couldn't. She had hated James for so long that it was impossible to fancy him. _Impossible_. So why did she feel like she was lying to herself?

Besides, it's not like she wanted to... Right?

Lily groaned, and headed towards the one place that could, perhaps, marshall her thoughts. The 7th year girl's dormitory in Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

The door in front of Natalie, Mary and Alice flew open, and in it was a gasping, rosy cheeked Lily Evans.

Natalie didn't care. "Lily!" she yelled as she bounded toward the door, enfolding the red head in a tight hug. Mary just waved, and Alice hugged Lily as well, though it wasn't as exuberant as Natalie's.

Lily just stood there, stiff as a plank of wood, although her breathing evened out, her eyes still held a rather wild look in them.

Natalie didn't attack Lily with a pillow like she had been planning, assuming that she wanted to keep her head in its current place on her shoulders. Mary looked at Lily with an appraising eye, and summed up what they were all thinking at that point.

"What the hell?"

The redhead flung herself on a bed, and buried her head in a pillow.

The three girls exchanged alarmed looks, and Natalie waved Alice forward.

She pulled out a chair and sat by the bed Lily was on, and Lily flipped over, eyes on the ceiling.

Mary snorted quietly. It looked like a day at the shrink's office.

Alice just sat there silently, waiting for Lily to talk. She was deep in though, her mind in a storm of conflicting thoughts and emotions, all of them centered around one thing. James Potter. What was that? Why didn't I stop him? He saved me! I saved him... He was so hurt... He couldn't die! He's so handsome! Why can't I stop thinking about him? Why do I feel so weird?

Lily chose to answer that last question. It was simplest; she had a cold.

But wait, that couldn't be right... She was fine a few days ago... Although she did remember feeling a little off whenever... Whenever... Lily paled. Oh my god. Whenever she was by James. _Bloody hell! _

_I fancy James Potter!!!_

Natalie's jaw dropped to the floor, Mary looked incredibly smug, and Alice was the same as always. Sweet and understanding.

Lily looked to her friends, intending to hide the revelation. She saw their faces and groaned, a revelation that, apparently, hadn't been just within her head.

Natalie was the first to break the silence, "HA! Finally!" Three pairs of eyes speared her. "It had to happen. I mean, you two are polar opposites." Natalie explained.

The eyes were no further enlightened then before. "And?" asked Alice skeptically. "And opposites attract!" finished the brown haired girl, as though explaining the obvious.

Mary rolled her eyes, "That's in movies. Stuff like that doesn't actually _happen._"

"Um, Mare, obviously it did!"

Lily spoke for the first time, "Do I _look _like a magnet to you?"

Natalie made a box with her fingers and stared at Lily through them, as though checking. Lily threw a pillow at her.

"This is serious!" she yelled.

Mary snickered, "Oh, now Natalie's interested!" Natalie turned red, and smacked Mary with the pillow that had just seconds ago been melded to her face.

Alice groaned, "Great, now that's THREE of us that are into Marauders!"

Lily was, understandably, very confused. "Ok, there's me... Natalie... But who's the last one?"

Mary averted her eyes. Natalie gasped, her embarrassment forgotten in the face of riveting new gossip. "Mare?!"

She groaned slightly. "Bloody Remus..." Lily giggled.

"Since when?!" Natalie cried, not about to lose out on information.

Mary shrugged, "I don't know. It just kind of happened. I look one time, he's Remus, I look the next, and it's _Remus_!"

Alice and Lily 'awwwed' and 'oh cuted' this latest revelation.

"But James can NOT know!" said Lily firmly, after they were all caught up with each other's "situations".

"Mine too," said Mary. "Seconded!" trilled Natalie from her bed.

"Oh please" Mary replied dryly, "You can't keep your eyes off him, and when he looks at you your skins turns _so_ red."

Mary's bed seemed to quiver, and she fell back laughing hysterically and cursing at the same time.

"Ahaha, Natalie! Oh hahaha bloody hell hee hee!"

Natalie grinned. Ah, tickling charms. There weren't naught any sweeter revenge.


	10. Maybe, Just Maybe

**Disclaimer: Seriously? Again? I. Am poor (not really). Therefore, I am not JK Rowling. Geffum?**

**Contrary to popular belief, reviews help. They give you inspiration. Except for flames. They make you cry. Not really, but they don't help. Criticism good. Burning bad.

* * *

**

James Potter was in hell. Well, not really. He wished he was at times, it would've been something to _do, _at least. He had already counted the beds (7), the windows (14) the lights (7) the doors (3) the number of chocolate frogs he had been given (106). He had also read/listened to all of his get well cards, his personal favorite being the one from Sirius, which was animated to show the scene when Peter had gotten his head stuck in a toilet.

Had that really been only a week ago?

James picked up his wand for what seemed like the hundredth time in that hour. At first he had amused himself by transfiguring various things around the room. He turned a table in the corner into a carousel, a lamp into a disco ball, and made the normal window into one of stained glass, depicting a single lily, suspended in the air over a back round of crashing waves and rocky cliffs. A full moon bathed the lily in its baleful light. And if one looked closely, they could make out four animals, three large ones, and the fourth quite small, hanging onto one of their shoulders running on the edge of the cliffs.

James sighed as he looked at that window, it was the only thing he hadn't changed back, and no one had made any comment on it when they had come to see him (which happened quite frequently) even though he saw their eyes flick toward it and widen in surprise as they walked over to his bed.

He so preferred being sick at his own him. There were people to talk to (they had many rare portraits of famous witches and wizards) and many things to do. Once when he was five, James had broken his leg jumping out of a window. But in the indoor weeks that followed, James had learned how to play the piano. In fact, he hadn't stopped, and had excelled, surpassing even his talented mother about a year and a half ago.

His face brightened, now there was an idea! He transfigured the table in the corner into a grand piano, and, with much groaning and cursing, made his way over to the bench. These curses and groans were only made because James couldn't otherwise express the pain he was feeling, and the weakness. Every step was a mile, and lifting up a leg for the next step took days. It was a wonder he made it all the way there.

James collapsed into the bench then pushed himself into a seating position. He stretched his fingers, and put them on the keys. He paused to select a song from his repertoire. He glanced at the stained glass window, and chose Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2. It was a rather romantic song, but hey, James was feeling warm and fluffy now that he had something to do. Smiling at the promise of a reprieve, he started on the extremely difficult piece.

His boredom disappeared as he lost himself in the chords and crescendos of the it and he closed his eyes, fingers flying across the keys without a need to look.

* * *

The beautiful red head took a deep breath. Lily stood outside the door to the hospital wing, silently steeling herself to enter the room.

It was much harder to go in now that she knew she liked James, but Lily Evans had never been one to back down from a challenge. Squaring her shoulders, she opened the door and stepped in bravely.

Her mouth went slack in shock.

James Potter, sat in the white seat of a magnificent grand piano, his face scribed with passion, eyes closed, brow furrowed in concentration.

His battered body glowed with energy, his hands moving in movements so complicated Lily's eyes couldn't follow them for long. Beautiful music filled the room, emanating from the piano, seeming to resonate throughout the core of Lily's being. Her feelings became connected to the music, rising and falling with its crescendos and decrescendos, deepening with its fortes and softening with its pianissimos.

The song changed, rolling through a bridge into something different all together, something even more amazing.

It was if James was projecting himself into the song, which could only have been of his own composition. It was deep and touching, friendship and love intricately linked into the tune, but with dark chords of worry and fear that wove into the piece, making the sweet music into a fight for love.

The piece that was, in Lily's opinion, James Potter himself, picked up speed, with tones of fury and passion, faster and faster until it culminated in deep tones of loss. The echoes of the last chords resonated briefly, and then faded out of existence.

As the chord faded, so did James Potter. His shoulder were now bent as he slumped on his bench. He opened his eyes slowly, hating how weak he felt.

What he saw was his greatest weakness of all.

Lily Evans stood in the doorway, her mouth open, eyes wide, cheeks flushed.

He got off the bench normally. At least, it looked normal. Every movement caused him immense pain, and it was as though his muscles were not there anymore, and only with great force of will and determination did he get off of it.

Standing up, he swayed, legs week and knees wobbly. He grabbed onto the piano as support.

The girl he had loved for so long was in the exact same position as before, in a state of shock.

James grinned tiredly "You're gonna catch flies love."

Lily shut her jaw with a small click, thinking of what to say. "James, about what happened earlier today-" He cut her off. "Lily I know you hate me, and for as long as you've hated me" he looked her in the eye "I've loved you."

She gasped. And the look in his eyes confirmed what he said, the were deep eyes, filled with tenderness, love and care. And at that moment, Lily wanted to have whatever those hazel eyes promised.

"That's just the thing James-" she began again, but James beat her there again "But I c-can't take it anymore. I'm done. I give up. After this, we're, we're just Heads." he looked away.

James thought Lily didn't see how much those words pained him, but she did. Even the stutter in the beginning was like a sharp knife to James, and the words were even worse, cutting away at his heart. That hurt Lily too.

But she wasn't going to take it. Oh hell no.

"Now listen here James Potter!" she yelled at him, her red head temper coming to the surface, "I did _not_ just realize how much I fancy you so you could get all noble and masochistic on me. Nuh uh. I am going to _like_ you, and you are going to _l__ike_ me back with everything you have! Got it?"

All signs of fatigue vanished from him as she said those words, as though they pumped new life into him. Once more, his broken body thrilled with energy. His face lit up in a smile, and Lily's heart melted just a little bit more.

"Lily... Thank you." his words throbbed with sincerity. "For what?" she retorted, still slightly short tempered.

He smiled at her, and his eyes were full of hope and love, "For giving me a chance."

"Yeah well don't mess it up" she mumbled back, mollified.

James laughed, "I'll try not to, but hey, I'm a Marauder, and we mess things up."

Lily stuck her tongue out at him, and he laughed.

"Now thank you" said Lily, pointing a finger at him. "For what?" replied James, perplexed.

"For that" she said, gesturing to the piano, and then at James.

He laughed again, "Just something I picked up."

_That was very modest!_ thought Lily, slightly shocked. Sometimes the changed James still caught her off guard.

"C'mon" said Lily off handedly, "let's get you back to bed." That short trip to the piano bench had exhausted James, and he didn't much fancy walking back.

James looked at her, "Lily, you have to let me do this on my own," he said, as she made to assist him.

He gritted his teeth and took a step forward. His legs collapsed underneath him. He braced his arms on the floor and tortuously pulled himself back into a standing position. Lily looked on helplessly, James wouldn't even let her think about helping him. She knew that this was a personal thing. James greatest fear was being weak, and he wouldn't let anyone interfere while he dealt with it.

James took another step, legs trembling, his foot slipped out from under him and he caught himself. Unable to find the strength to push himself back up, he crawled forward. His legs were so weak, the most he could do was dig his hands in to the marble, and drag his body towards his bed.

Lily's throat clenched and tears filled her eyes as she watched one of the strongest-mentally, physically and spiritually- people she knew struggle so much, but to still keep going regardless.

James Potter did indeed keep going. He didn't give up, clawing meter by meter, his arms screaming. Finally, he reached the side of his bed. With a tremendous effort of will, James stood up and wobbled. He regained his balance and, gritting his teeth for the final haul, threw his leg onto the bed. With a final heave of his exhausted arms, he landed in bed.

His body was covered with sweat, and he was gasping. But not from exhaustion. James Potter, in plain view of Lily Evans lay down sobbing. _How... How can I be so weak... Look at me... It took so much... Just to get to the bed, and I don't know if I can take it. _He tried to turn his body toward where Lily was, but his exhausted limbs defied even _his_ will. He just lay there, limp, too weak to move. His sobs quietened into shallow breathing.

Lily watched the whole thing, her heart crying out to him, tears filling her eyes once more. She walked over and sat down beside him, she took his hand and stroked it "It's ok to be weak James" she crooned to him. "You'll get stronger again. This is temporary, keep drinking your potions and you'll be back in no time." He sniffed in agreement. His voice was barely above a whisper, and she leaned close to here it "what if... What if one day, I'm not strong enough to protect you? Do you understand, that would kill me."

"James" Lily declared softly "you're the strongest person I know."

He smiled at that, and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep, the ghost of that smile still etched on his lips.

And Lily laid down next to him, wrapping her arms around him. As she fell asleep, she thought fiercely, _He doesn't deserve this. No one does, but especially not James__._ It was a travesty, taking someone so strong and making them so weak. She would've fallen apart and James was starting to. Maybe keeping her arms around him would, in some small way, keep him together.

And maybe, it would help keep her together too.

And maybe, just maybe, it felt just right.


	11. Damn Passages

**Disclaimer: Oh my god... This is just disgusting. Me? Not JK Rowling? Ok?**

* * *

James woke up with a killer headache, and the feeling that he had been in a wrestling match with a mountain.

And lost.

For one extremely amazing second, he though he felt arms wrapped around him, but when he opened his eyes, Lily was standing looking down on him. Damn his over imaginative brain.

She smiled brightly at him, and he found himself unconsciously smiling back. "James! um, good morning."

He sat up and groaned. Yep, definitely lost to that mountain... Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Lily skeptically, "Well Ms. Evans, cutting class?"

She rolled her eyes, "It's the weekend."

"And you're spending it with me! I knew it!"

Lily laughed, "It's less of you knowing and me telling you."

"I prefer to think of it as my charm bringing it out of you."

"You realize today's Quidditch tryouts?" she said, hastily changing the subject.

James gaped, "Really?!" "Yeah, Sirius came to remind you and," she shrugged, "you were sleeping."

He scoffed, "Things like sleep won't stop him."

The red head smiled smugly. James made the connection and his mouth fell open in a perfect o. "Ah I see. So, what jinx?"

Sirius chose that particular moment to barge in. "Prongs!" he growled. He launched into a steady stream of cusses at Lily, none of which they heard since she and James were laughing so hard. His best friend was completely bald.

Well, not completely.

There was a fully grown lily sprouting out of the top of his head, waving back and forth as he ranted wildly.

"- shove her into a container and roll her down the hill and ship her bloody arse to Madagas- STOP LAUGHING AND FIX THIS DAMN THING!" Sirius roared, gesturing wildly to his head.

"Sorry mate," choked out James, tears of laughter running down his face, as he and Lily held onto each other to keep from collapsing. She merely nodded mutely, if she opened her mouth she'd start to break down again.

"And?" said Sirius angrily, a finger pointed at his scalp. Lily took a deep breath to steady herself against any more outbursts, waved her wand, and returned his head to its normal, extremely good looking state.

He sighed in relief. "Thank god, imagine trying to fit in a broom cupboard with _that_ on your head."

James sighed exasperatedly, "Lin?"

Sirius winked, "Plural."

His best friend slapped him on the back of his head. Far from being mad, Sirius just laughed lightly and brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Anyway Prongs," he said, happily. "You have to be at the tryouts today."

"And why is that?"

"Because you," began Sirius dramatically, "are my" he placed a hand on his heart, "captain!" he sank to his knees and threw both of his hands skyward.

Lily giggled.

"Alright, what time is it again?" asked James tiredly.

The giggling stopped.

"What," she said in a voice of forced calm "did you say?"

James looked extremely uncomfortable, "Um, I asked what time-"

"You are _not _going to those tryouts!"

"But Lily, I'm... the... Captain..." he trailed off at the look in her eyes. James' brow furrowed, "Why can't I go?"

"Because you're" she gestured vaguely at his body, searching for a word. "Good looking? Muscled? Devilishly handsome?" James supplied. Lily rolled her eyes, "Injured" she said emphatically.

James sighed heavily, "Lily, this is my team! They're counting on me, I can't just not show up because of... This" Now it was his turn to gesture at his body.

The red head frowned. "One condition," she said belligerently. James' face brightened and a smile formed on his face, Lily's heart melted a little inside of her. "I'm coming with you." saying it nowhere near as forcefully as she had wanted to. Damn that James Potter.

Far from being mollified, James' smile widened and Lily found herself turning red.

Sirius waved wildly, "Hello? Still here."

"Shut up," they said at the same time. James and Lily shared a small grin, then turned toward the still waving boy.

He smiled sheepishly under their gazes, and began to walk out of the room. "Oh Jamesie poo, three o'clock!" he called over his shoulder as he exited the doorway.

James looked at Lily, and she nodded slightly. "I'll be there!" he yelled back happily. "And so will I!" yelled Lily right after.

Sirius waved without looking back, and ran down the stairs.

* * *

James and Lily snuck out of the Hospital Wing at around two. Well, Lily snuck, James limped quietly.

He turned right after the door, "Uh James?" Lily tapped his shoulder, with a look that questioned his sanity.

"Yes love?" he sang happily, glad to be out of the Hospital Wing, "Isn't the pitch this way?" she pointed in the opposite direction.

A mischievous grin came onto James' face, and he winked at her. "We need to make a quick stop at our dorm."

She blanched, "But that's on the other side of the castle!"

His grin grew, "Ah how could I have forgotten." Lily slapped him playfully on the arm, and they started to walk.

She looked at James out of the corner of her eyes, not wanting him to catch her staring.

He stopped abruptly, and her neck cricked as she tried to keep her eyes on him. As she rubbed it, James stared at the wall, or rather, the tapestry covering it. A maroon banner had a magnificent castle in the background, with a medieval lion superimposed over it. Golden filigree traced the edges, and a crown hung suspended over the great cats head, with a complicated seal engraved into the middle.

She turned to James with a questioning look in his eyes, and he turned back, winked at her-

And walked through the tapestry.

Her mouth opened in shock, and she stood there frozen with her hand still on her neck for five seconds. And then he was back, the wall stretched, and snapped back as a messy haired boy in Quidditch robes melted out of it, holding a sleek broom in his left hand, and a fresh sheet of parchment in the other.

James smiled brightly at the confused and shocked expression on her still face. Lily shook her head, snapping out of it "Ja- How did- the wall- it was-" she shut her mouth. Clearly, she wasn't going to be able to talk normally until this was answered.

He laughed lightly at her stuttering, then proceeded to explain as they walked in the direction of the pitch.

"Well, that went to our common room." Lily had recovered enough to reply dryly, "Yes, I guessed that." James smiled slightly as they continued. "And we took a _secret passage_." he said, making his voice spooky and wavering. She rolled her eyes, "I guessed that too."

"Oh really?" James smirked, "and did you guess that if anyone but the Head Boy or Girl did that, they'd hit a wall?"

Well no, she didn't. But really, would she tell him that? "I guessed that," Lily said, trying to sound confident.

"Hmm, did you also guess that if Slytherin's were the Heads, that tapestry would be green and silver with a great, big, dirty snake on it?"

How the bloody hell did he know this? "Ok, not that one," Lily admitted.

James stopped shortly after at a long mirror with an ornate frame, adorning the entire wall of a corridor. It was tarnished and dirty, seeming to distort their reflections. She raised an eyebrow, and James pointed above the reflective glass, indicating two crossed broomsticks hanging over it.

Lily groaned, "Another one?"

"Ah, but this one is cool." He extended put the parchment in his pocket and extended a hand to her "They're all cool," Lily grumbled, taking the proffered hand. "Glad you think so, ok, step with me, on one, two, three and-"

They stepped. It felt like walking through liquid, although they didn't get wet. She had the oddest sensation of being bent out of shape, and a chill swept thru her. The mirror rippled from where they stepped into it, and-

Lily and James stumbled out of a much smaller mirror into an immaculate office. He looked left and right quickly, then rushed them out of the room, thru a wood paneled hallway onto the Quidditch Pitch.

James let go of her hand, and Lily felt slightly disappointed. He closed his eyes and took a deep, contented breath. She smiled at his happiness, and walked toward the stands, sitting against the wall in the shade.

He walked to where she was sitting, and left his wand, the parchment, and a few sticks of gum by her. Grinning wickedly, he took a small golden object out of his pocket and tossed it into the air.

She rolled her eyes. "Ah careful Lily, they're liable to fall out if you keep doing that."

"Maybe you should stop giving me a reason to. And what is up with you and that stupid snitch?"

He crouched next to her, "Contrary to what you think, that snitch is mine."

Lily's unconvinced expression prompted him to go further, "Ok, well I may have nicked it, but it is mine."

"Oh really?" she asked sardonically "And just how does that work?"

"It's the snitch from my first game, the first one I caught. It has... Sentimental value."

She laughed at that, "Yeah, it's _mental_ alright." He pulled a puppy dog expression, and she rolled her eyes. Yet again. He laughed, "Really Evans, watch those eyes, it'd be shame if they fell out. They really are beautiful," he finished sincerely, a slightly self conscious expression on his face.

Lily turned red, and before she could respond, he threw his broom in the air, and jumped onto it as it came down, shooting away into the air. She was just about to roll her eyes, but she caught herself. There would be plenty of time for that when he got back.

James in the air was incredible, Lily was afraid of heights but watching him up there stirred feelings of envy and longing in her.

He whipped in tight turns, took fast low dives, just pulling out of them, feet skimming the grass. He weaved between goal posts effortlessly, and once flipped his broom forward successfully making himself parallel to a wall, and gliding along it centimeters from touching.

After weaving frantically, yet, Lily could tell, completely in control, he stopped, clutching a glittery object in his hand. She gave him a thumbs up, and he descended onto the field just as his team was making its way from the locker rooms.

Sirius was first, talking loudly, a beater bat in his hand. Following him, with red hair and an identical bat, was Bilius Weasley.

Bianca Goodhew and one of Lily's best friends, Mary, were right behind them. Bianca was carrying the rather large red ball, and Lily couldn't help but notice how the pretty girl's eyes kept flicking toward James. She growled inaudibly at the chaser.

James hobbled toward his team, and Lily's attention immediately turned on him, concern in her eyes. She walked toward the group hesitantly, as James explained to the team.

"Alright guys, I'm Captain." He paused there, waiting for Sirius to stop 'crying'. "Now, I know I'm amazing," more cheers, Lily restrained herself from rolling her eyes, and from tearing out Bianca's, who seemed to have them glued to James.

"I'm amazing, but as a Captain... I'm going to push you guys." Mary raised an eyebrow "and girls." James corrected hurriedly. "Now we need a chaser and a keeper. Chaser's are important," "More then important," Mary said under her breath. James continued, "But I want you to keep a special eye out for a good Keeper." The team nodded, knowing the importance.

"Alright, with that in mind, I also want them to fit in with us. Face it, it doesn't matter how good they are if Sirius tears them apart for mouthing off." The team laughed with Sirius yelling loudly "I resent that!"

"And that's about it. Let's kick some arse this year." he finished, to hearty cheers from the beaters and healthy applause.

The first tryouts filed through, looking extremely nervous. James sat down next to her, his eyes closed. "Good speech," she observed, hiding her worry for him. Leaning against her, he watched the prospects and spectators.

She struggled not to turn red, and put her head on his shoulder. James smiled down at her, and even through renewed attempts to keep her face normal, she felt heat flooding her cheeks. He sighed happily, and her stomach lurched.

Lily shifted awkwardly as she saw Bianca look at them, shooting daggers out of her eyes. James looked skeptically at her, and she ticked her head towards where Bianca was glaring at them. He laughed uncomfortably, "Don't worry Lils, she's got nothing on you."

She looked at him gratefully, but with a slight frown, he stood up with a hurried "It's time to start."

Lily settled back, watching James as he directed people around the pitch.

In the end, Frank Longbottom, much to everyone's shock, became the Gryffindor Keeper. He was actually really good, but he'd never had the courage to try out. "It was Alice" he admitted to Lily, shrugging slightly. She nodded understandably, who could say no to Alice?

The new chaser was, ironically enough, an asian boy named Chase Mizuno. He was a skinny looking boy, but he had good aim and seemed to have a talent for stealing the Quaffle.

Lily and James left as soon as he had given the team, both new players and old, critiques and the practice schedule.

He really was quite tired, and it was late, the full moon peeking out over the trees. James said good bye to his best friend before leaving, who looked extremely preoccupied for some reason, and then walked into Madame Hooch's office with Lily, entering the mirror and walking back to the Hospital Wing.

* * *

James sank into his bed in the infirmary, groaning. It had been a _long _day after being cooped up in here. Madame Pomfrey had shaken her finger at him, but had otherwise let his escape pass unpunished. He checked the Map before he went to sleep, like he did every night, making sure the Slytherins weren't getting up to anything.

It wasn't the Slytherins that night.

He gasped, dropping the map in shock. He paused to grab his wand and throw some robes on, then ran out of the room as fast as he could, heedless of his bruised body.

* * *

Lily walked into the Hospital Wing to say goodnight to James.

She found his bed empty, a piece of parchment lying on disturbed covers. Lily picked it up, confused.

As she looked at the parchment, her confusion turned to shock..

It was, she gathered, a map of Hogwarts and its inhabitants. Amazing.

Then her shock turned to dread.

Because she knew what night this was. And she knew where Remus would be.

And the black dot labeled 'Severus Snape' was running along the tunnel heading there, followed closely by another dot, with the label 'James Potter'. Her breath caught in her throat.

She looked closer, and standing by the entrance to the path was a black dot labeled 'Sirius Black'.

Lily had no idea what was going on, she knew only one thing. There would be hell to pay when it was over.


	12. Note to the Readers

**Disclaimer: Hi, I'm Jk Rowling. NOT!**

* * *

I, your author, am discontinuing this story -.-

Sorry, but I just don't like the way it went, it gave me a lot of ideas soon, so i'll be writing another one soon. This _did _have some gaping holes, which all stories do, but it was just too severe for me to mend to my satisfaction.

No worries though, i'll keep the same characters for the next one, so it won't be completelyyyy different. And it's still me :D

Mahalo for the reviews, please review my next one? haha, k then, shakas!

-Jason


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